W.O.R.M.!!!!!!!

[mudman]

Checked the oak I got at Ledbury, definitely some worm holes in evidence. :evil:
Can't tell if they are active or not but I think that it can be assumed that there will be some active in there. :evil:
Trouble is I also managed to badly sprain my ankle and badly bruise my other foot which meant I could hardly lift myself around, let alone big slabs of oak. So, will have to wait until next weekend before I can shift them outside.
I'm assuming that I have nothing to worry about until they want to emerge and get to know other beetles better in May.

 

[dickm]

Couple of thoughts about the worm. If the timber is in a fairly well enclosed store, you might be able to use a "smoke candle" which pushes out lord knows what toxic material. The stuff settles on the surface of timber and kills any infestation near the surface, plus making the surface inhospitable to further egg-laying. I use one of these every few years to protect loft timbers.
The other possibility is heat treatment - quite a lot of wormy antique furniture is now treated by keeping in an enclosure above 55 Celsius (I think) for a few days.

 

[CHJ]

I'm sure I've read they used to use some kind of blood products in glues many years ago - and these are particularly attractive to worm - so old plywood can be very susceptable.

Adam

Yes it was definitely "Glue Pot" glue, that which remained still had the gluepot aroma even after 68 years when broken apart and more-so while burning.

Ahh!!! memories of school woodwork shop and the local blacksmith.

Talking of blacksmiths, if you will excuse the diversion of the thread, never had any tool burning problems on his 3ft dia. hand turned and watercooled sandstone.

 

[Losos]

Thought bring this to the top again 'cos I've got two questions which someone might know the answers. First, why don't the little sods eat into living trees?? Second, if my timber is outside in sub zero temperatures will it kill them?? (As I write it's minus 9 Celsius )

 

[The Restorer]

Loso,

Yes, you can kill of the little critters by freezing them. You need to put the infected timber in a freezer (about -18C) for a week, then bring out the timber into normal conditions, then freeze them again for a week.apparently they can survive the 1st freezing, but then wake up when bought back up to temperature, so the 2nd dose gets 'em where it hurts!

They don't eat living trees as they are too wet.

Res.

 

[Chris Knight]

Museums apparently have a freezing process for worm, I guess unless you have a very big freezer it is going to be a bit hard to do this at home - unless of course you live in Alaska! I wonder if they do have woodworm there?

 

[Losos]

Chris & Restorer - Thanks for your input, the timber I'm concerned about is outdoors. We have had sub zero temperatures since mid Jan. During that time it has gone down to minus 18 at night and we have also had a short break when it was just over zero for two days & a night, I wonder if that will do the trick The planks have a plastic sheet over, and are now covered in snow, when it thaws I'll have to brace myself to have a look :lol:

 

[CHJ]

Loso,

Yes, you can kill of the little critters by freezing them. You need to put the infected timber in a freezer (about -18C) for a week, then bring out the timber into normal conditions, then freeze them again for a week.apparently they can survive the 1st freezing, but then wake up when bought back up to temperature, so the 2nd dose gets 'em where it hurts!

Res.

My son has a serious problem of Worm in his outbuildings. (I mean 200 mm dia timbers that look like swiss cheese) We are slowly trying to eradicate it with chemicals. But still find traces after a couple of goes.

It is currently -22 deg. C there (Bavaria) and has been so for two weeks + so I think it depends on how accustomed the critters are to the low temperatures. These building have been subjected to these and lower temperatures for the past 60 years or so.